Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-07

and grounds in the division of the At
lantic are everywhere III need OF repair
and reconstruction. On the entire At
lantiC and gulf coast line of $50 miles.
the sole armament is IL ritied guns, of
which ll6 are obsolete and of very
low power. Even the few servicaeble
guns that are mounted are OF
but little value. Some of them
are mounted on little carriages and some
Of them are of inadequate protection. The
secretary refers TO General SchOfield's re-
commentator that at least one eight-inch
muZZle loading gun. with appliances for
target practice, and one or more of the
breech loading guns and mortars be fur
nished to each artillery post with view to
the improvement of the artillery instruct
ion He says, however. that the depart
ment is unable TO comply with the request,
as we have no gnnS suitable for such large
practice and technical instruction.
This division is garrisoned mainly by ar
tillery Four-fifths of the officers and men
of that army being stationed within It's
limits. In no branch of the service is tech
nical instruction and daily experiments
and practice III the use of Its weapons more
demanded than in the artillery It's earn
estly hoped that if guns cannot be had for
fertilization, appropriations can be made
for the purchase or manufacture OF enough
guns to employ the artillery and fit them
for any emergency. IN the division of the
Missouri during the past year, 1t has been
necessary to patrol the Oklahoma country
in the Indian Territory. to keepsout iutru-
docs and to protect the Indian reservations
A considerable body Of troops have been
constantly engaged in. this duty and there
have been no serious disturbances,
A brief history is included III the report
of the difficulty that arose III August last
in Colorado between the state authorities
4 Il Il
that some efforts should certainly be made
for the restitution of their property TO the
Indians. The secretary strongly approves
of the recommendation contained In Gen.
Sheridan's report, touching the extension of
ali possible aid by the general government
to the national guard of the different
states and suggesting 2 system of national
encampmentS for state militia at the eX-
pense of the national government.
Attention is called TO the fact that the
Pacific coast is destitute of Notifications,
guns and Armament of every description,
while San francisco is without a single
gun which can be fired with safety with
present charges of powder and modern pro-
iectiIes. Favorable endorsement is also
given to the lieutenant generals recon-
mendatiOn that the present strength Of
army be increased by 5000 men, and par
ticular attention is called to the import
ance of the artillery arm of the
service and certain changes in the present
organization of artillery regiments.
The schools of instruction, the secretary
saws. afford admirable post graduate
courses of study and it will be necessary,
as it is desirable, that every officer should
take his tour of study, in order that he
NAV be fully equipped for his duty. He
trusted that the bill introduced in the
senate al the last session requiring the eX-
animation of officers for promotion may be
passed by congress He thinks that the
permanently disabled officers should be at
once retired and hopes that congress will
authorize sufficient increase of the
retired list u accomplish the pur-
pose. The secretary suggests that
the number Of court martial
trials can be much reduced if provision he
made for punishment OF minor Offenses
without summoning court martial, az IN
dicated in the annual report Of 1856 The
secretary renews the previous recommen
dation a. TO minor changes in the statutes
relating to the army and advocates the re
vision Of the articles Of war. which have
remained substantially unaltered here,
while in England and elsewhere military
codes have been modified IN accordance
with the requirements of modern times
The report refers TO the clash between the
war department and treasury department
in regard 10 the payments direct by The
former and recommend the passage Of j
law 10 remove the embarrassment.
A brief reference IS made to the recon
mendation TO the engineer bureau, relative
To the construction OF seacOaSt and lake
dsfenses, and it is said that there appears
to be no reason for further delay in he
ginning the important work of terrifying
the great harbOrs Little Is said on the
subject OF river and harbCr Improvements
beyond the statement that the report Of
the chief Of engineers sets forth the con
ditiou oI each improvement and the
amount o. work performed during the last
fiscal YEAR. Copions quotations are made
from the report Of the chief OF ordnance
relating 70 the success Of domestic manu-
features in producing nigh grade steel and
the advIsahility % increased approprla
rions for the supply Of ordinances
In concluding his report the secretary
says: The result 81 the eXamlnetioHs lDE
promotion under the civil service regula
tions, which were applied 70 the war De
p-rtmenf iu MAJ were satisfactory. ne
total number u clerks examined was
I.o1+. Of whom ~ or - per cent passed
and OF this number So. or - per cent OBJ
tanned sn average above % per cent. 81 Or
; per cent failed 10 pass, their
average being less than - PR cent.
! renew the recommendation contained
in nv previous reports and In those % ny
predecessors FOR the appointment Of an a.
sis-aui * -retarv u War, and o. an assist
AMI attorney general. 10 advise and assist
in the legal technical questions ~hlcA
daily occur. / must also refer - former
Recommendations for the reorganization
u b.. force af cais Office. thu estimates Tor
which II !. hoped. FIll rHceiVe the favor
able consideration Of Bob Zress-